Toy fireboat



D815. 27, 1949 GREENBERG 2,492,215

TOY FIRE B-OAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14;, 1946 GEORGZ' Gum/BERG,

INVENTOR BY M [/6 ATTORNEY- Dec. 27, 1949 G. GREENBERG 2,492,215

TOY FIRE BOAT Filed Aug. 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1949 g STATES PATENT (lFFsiCE n oymmizeonrr George Greenherg, New .ZY. n ueafionnugusru, 1946, SerialNof69lfi369 6.Glaims. (01. 146-95) inventionirelates to toys, and rhas forsits main (object in) fprovidea rtuy :boat awhlchiiniitates in Eppemnce :and motion the .uslral well :known firemoats.

mother nihleot of iihis ilnvention :is ito iprovid'e a toy of the mentioned character which will have 'imeans lto spropel the 'same, and :means ito throw .a water 5512 83111, ror do both, rat the same time, rat the will cost the *nliild lplaying with tlre iSfiill a further'objedt ofrmy'invention isito provideia :devitm, =as indicated lhereinbefure, 'in"-which all lithe-operations will tbeiprovi'dedzfor withipower, and @contrdlled :froma singleim'otor, iarranged Fin 2. novel, eflicient way, and having novel, eflicientweoupling means :for the various operations. :cstillrfiurther mbjects of this invention will be apparent as :the specification 20f rthe 'same 5pmceeds, and, among others, .I :may mention: ito provide a devicezof this :tynewirhih wfill ibersimple in 'ncnnstruction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, leasily operated, and 'which will have a novel pump device and a novel rudiler, conducive to a -novel and entertaining ioperation incorpomted therein.

(In the -.drawings lformirrg a part of this especincationeand accompanying the:same:

Fig. 1 is a .diagrammati'calsectionaliviewiof :a toy fire boat, 'construoted :acoording :to my invention, partsiof the same being brokenaway;

' Fig. :2 is a 'diagrammatical .pran wiew :of the same, portions of .it being .shown in section therein;

Fig. 3 31S 'a :sectional View, "the :section being taken-.on-the line 3-4: otElg. and

Fig. 4 is another sectional view, being on the 1ine-4-4-.of Figs-2;

- Fig. 5 shows a detail for fixing the :rudderzin a desired position, and

Bigot is a-diagram.-showing ithe automatic irunning "of the ship when the :rudder is set and fixedatia certain angle.

Referring now to the drawings :more in -"detail by, characters of reference, \the inumeral :Hl indicates my novel toy :fire hoat inrgenerahhave ing 1fihe hu11 "l-l, rprecferably made -:of sheet metal, the desk [2,animitationsmokmstack li a-rudder llandtherpropeller-w.

.lFor'the driving ,power -forimy -.toy ship, I'arrange arspr'ing .motor at about .the-oenterpf the ship, diagrammatically .shown in the .section .0f Fig. 11-, and generally indicated by .the numeral IS. .A winding -shaft L? with a winding grip .IB isalso .showniovzer the deck .of the ship, all these devices 'being. shown generally in radiagrammati- 2 cell manner, as itireyrmay be rof any constructions vmllzknown in'thisz'art.

.iAny nusual zme'ans, rgenerally indicated by the numeral ii-9, iniay ralso be employed "to normally stop the runnin of tthessprin lm'otor fli when it is wound up iior operation, rsaid fmeans ill beiugzadanted to be "moved ":into a position :where they will :release the spring motor E6 and permit .its mperation. One of such well known means-may operate byTt'he lindie'ated spin l'il'a and its button 19b, so that, "when the p'in is pushed inwardly, rthe spring motor is locked, an'd when it is pulled outwardly, 'the spring motor "is released. 7

[Che spring motor may have a throug'hgoing shaitptheleit .hand end of the sa meprojeoting from the housing of the motor, and being indioated lat 2, while the' right "hand "end is findieaten :at ill. A -'coriioal 'fridtion -clu'tch member mfis seouretl 0h the 'shaTt-end 20, and a similar .c'lutch Ffriction e'one am is secured -'on the shaitiend A propeller :driving shaft --22 is journalled i in an appropriate manner in the rear ortion rofithe iboat, carrying at the :outer free end "thereof, :at th'e #stern 0f the Jonalt, the "drive propeller H5.

A shame clutch member enerally indicated by the rnumereildtfls-arranged on th'einner'en'd of lthe propeller shaft 22, "the same having a front female friction cone 24,which 'may 'enga'ge the male frictlon 'cone Ma at that end at that clutch member 223, and 3815111 be adapted to en'- gage the :same :for moving it 1' inwardly or routwaml-y.

Ilihe iclutchfmemoer:23iis"longitudlnally slidable onitlre shaftflzpbutritzis secureii'thereon in sueh a. manner, that the rotation of the-shaft 2-2 will be transmitted to the 'tdlutch "member 23 :or' vice versa,-as-itis well known in*this:art.

l-twvill be seen thatpwhen the-a'rm 26 is turned outwardly tfrom the center of the :boat, as indicated by the arrow 28, and as shown in '1, its iiorlied tower "send (2-9 will .push the telutoh member viii-in .a zleit ahandidirection, \a's 'indieated by the arrow 25, :and said clutch .member "will drivingly .cohnect the s'pringfmotor ;shaf t m .to

the drive shaft @2101 'the propeller, andsin esu'fih a position of the parts described, the boat will be driven by the propeller I5.

A guiding and locking frame device 3| is built on the deck I 2 for the arm 26, said device having a top 32 with a slot 33 therein, in which the arm 26 may be moved in a left hand or right hand direction. A transverse slot 34 is provided for the outer portion thereof, and normally the arm 26 will have a tendency, by the resilient nature of its own material and by its formation, to snap into said slot 34, thereby locking in its right hand position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When it is desired to release propeller from the motor l6, arm 26 will be bent out of its limiting transverse slot 34, arrow 35 (Fig. 2), and then moved in a left hand direction, opposite to the arrow 28, and permit it to snap into the left hand limiting transverse slot 36, whereby the same will be locked in its left hand innermost position.

It will be apparent that moving the arm 26 in a left hand direction, will move the clutch member 23 in a right hand direction, opposite to that shown by the arrow 25, and will disconnect the clutch cones 2|a and 24.

. When it is desired again to start the propeller I5, arm 26 will be slightly bent to escape from the limiting slot 36, and moved to its right hand position, effecting the locking of the clutch.

A water pumping device, generally indicated by the numeral 31, is arranged in the front of the boat, raising the water through the pipe line 38 above the deck, and expelling it through the fire nozzle 39.

A driving shaft 4|] is arranged for the pump 37, the arrangement of said shaft, its journaling and its connection to and disconnection from the spring motor l6 being identical to those described for the propeller shaft 22, but said devices being arranged in the front of the boat, and generally in an opposite direction to the devices for the propeller shaft 22. A slidable clutch member, generally indicated by the numeral 4|, is arranged on the shaft 40, however rotatable therewith, as will be understood and it terminates in a female clutch cone 42. The clutch member 4| may be moved to its innermost right hand or outermost left hand positions, by an arm 43 pivoted in the frame member 44, as at 45, and having a forked lower end 46, engaging the cone channel 4! in the clutch member 4|.

One method of arranging the cone members 23 and 4|, on their respective shafts, in a longitudinally slidable, but rotatably secured manner, is shown in connection with the pump drive of my device at the left hand side of Fig. 1. Clutch member 4| may have a hollow tubular front part 48, in which are arranged two longitudinal slots 49, and a transverse pin 5|] is secured into the shaft 49, the two ends thereof being slidable in the slots 49. It will be obvious that in this manner the rotation of the shaft 40 will be, transmitted to the clutch member 4|, but said member may still slide inwardly or outwardly on said shaft.

A guide and locking structure, generally indicated by the numeral 5|, may be arranged for the arm 43, being identical to the guide and lock structure 3|, for the arm 26, described hereinbefo 're.

In the embodiment of my toy fire boat shown in the drawings, I employ a specific pump device 31. In said device, a cone shaped tube 52 is arranged in the front of the boat. This tube is rigidly connected with the casing 53 of pump 4 31, and serves as an inlet, into which the water is forced as indicated by arrow 54a, when the ship is in forward motion, thus adding to the performance of the pump. Secured on the end of the shaft 40 is the impeller 54, a rotational body so shaped that the axially entering water is diverted radially along the impeller blades 55. Upon rotation of said impeller, water will be ejected from the impeller by centrifugal force, and this flowof water passes through the stationary discharge blades 56, where additional pressure is being created in the water, and a circular flow in volute 51, as well, where the direction of flow corresponds with the rotation of the impeller, as indicated by arrow 53. Stationary parts 53, 56, 51 and base 59 are parts of the pump casing, as it is well known in this art. The water from said volute is pressed upwardly into the tube 38 for the fire extinguisher nozzle 33. The nozzle 39 may be appropriately narrow, so that a comparatively strong water spout or stream 390. will-emerge from the same and will be thrown to a substantial distance. The nozzle 39 may be made rotatable, by any appropriate means, so that the stream may :be directed into a desired direction.

- As has been mentioned, a rudder I4 is also employed at the stern of my boat, the same bein secured on a depending vertical shaft 60, which is rotatable in its housing 6|, and may be turned from the deck through the arm 62. A plate member 63 is secured on the frame 6|, having a plurality of holes 64 arranged in a circular manner, and an aperture or hole 65 is provided in the arm 62.

After the rudder 4 has been turned into a. desired direction through the arm 62, the same will be fixed in its position by pas-sing a pin 66' through the aperture 65, and through a corre- SDOIldlllg hole 64. In this manner, the boat may be set into a desired direction, and, if permitted freely to sail, ultimatel it will make avcomplete circle.

In Fig. 6, such a course of the boat is illustrated diagrammatically, and in said figure, III is the shore line, H is the water, 12 is my toy boat, and arrows 13 indicate the direction of the sailing of the boat, if permitted to run freely.

According to the setting of the rudder l4, the boat will make a complete circle, larger or smaller, and return to the startin position 74. Two of these circles are indicated at 15 and 76.

A pin 66 may be secured to the frame 6| by flexible member 11, as by a cord or chain, and a ring 18 may also be employed on it for easier handling.

Such a toy boat obviously must also be made substantially watertight, as otherwise it soon ma founder.

In my embodiment, illustrated in the drawings, only one place is left where water may leak into the hull, and it is at the exit of the propeller shaft from it indicated at 80.

For simple inexpensive means to prevent an entrance of the water at that place, I employ a stufiing box 8|, having a sleeve 82 and a gland -83 adapted to be set by screw threading, as will be obvious. Cotton waste and solid grease may be employed in sleeve 82 and compressed by gland 83.

This gland also serves as a bearing for shaft 22.

An appropriate screen may also be employed at the front open end of the water inlet tube 52 for the pump device. It may have any usual construction, well known in this art, (not shown), whereby dirt and other injurious material will be prevented from entering into the machinery and piping.

It will be understood that the toy can be used outdoors, as on .a lake or swimming pool, etc., but it may be used even in a bathtub at home, which is one of the desirable qualities of my invention.

In Fig. 2, the bow and stern of the ship have been broken away for clearer showing of my construction, but their upper outlines are indicated in an imaginary manner by the respective dot and dash lines 90 and 9 l.

I also show the railing 92, which may be added to my toy to effect a more realistic impression. With reference to the couplings or clutches shown in the drawings, and explained herein-before, I may mention that the same are supported in two places on the driver shaft, when in an inoperative position, and this feature insures a registering position with the driver shaft when the clutch will be put into operation.

It also will be understood that the driver shaft on the pump side may have a much higher speed than the driver shaft for the propeller on the other side, as the pump needs higher revolutions per minute than the propeller. This can be arranged in connection with the spring motor by adding different transmission gears to the two sides, as will be understood by those versed in this art.

On the pump side, the conical surfaces of the clutch device may not be the serrated ones indicated, but they may be smooth, as for instance, made of an appropriate hard wood. With this construction, gradual engagement will be insured between the cone surfaces, as the pump clutch is put into operation, which is desirable in view of the higher rate of revolution for the pump.

The feature that the switch arm 43 can be placed into an extreme locking position, and then locked, will insure a sufficient pressure between the clutch heads 29a and 42, and thereby a reliable connection will be made between the two shafts and 49, even when the friction surfaces are smooth, while then the process of engagement of the clutch will be gradual and without a shock.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be resorted to in the elements, construction and combination of my invention, and I reserve my rights to such changes and variations as are within the spirit of this specification, and the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new, and want to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a toy fire boat, a hull with a deck, a motor in the hull, means to control the motor from the deck, a shaft driven by said motor and projecting from it, both forwardly and rearwardly, a clutch member at each end of the shaft, a rotary pump in the hull in front of the motor, an intake for the pump wherethrough the same is adapted to draw from the water on which the toy is floating, a water ejector pipe from said pump to above the deck terminating in a nozzle in imitation of a fire boat, a driving propeller in the rear of the hull, a shaft for the pump, and a second shaft for the propeller, a slidable clutch member on the inner end of each, the pump and the propeller shafts adapted to cooperate with the respective clutch members on the motor shaft, a pivoted operating lever for each slidable clutch member projecting above the deck, an upstanding frame element on the deck for each operating lever having a slot wherein said lever may slide in both directions, said slot terminating in a transverse enlargement at each end, whereby, upon turning the respective levers in one or in the other directions, the pump, respectively the propeller, may be operatively connected to or disconnected from either of its positions, and said levers may be temporarily locked through the use of said termination enlargements in said slot.

2. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, a control member for said motor adapted to start or stop its operation as desired, said member projecting over the deck.

3. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, said intake for the pump opening towards the front of the boat whereby upon the sailing of the boat the inrushing water will aid in the operation of the 1; pump.

.1 and to temporarily secure it in any of its various positions, said motor being spring operated, a winding shaft for the same, a starting and stopping member for it, each projecting above said deck whereby the boat may be set in various conditions, and whereby all the necessary settings for various conditions may be operated from the deck independently of one another and may be locked on the deck in any of their selected positions.

5. In a toy fire boat, a hull with a deck, a motor in the hull, means to control the motor from the deck, a shaft driven by said motor and projecting from it, both forwardly and rearwardly, a clutch member at each end of the shaft, a rotary pump in the hull in front of the motor, an intake for the pump wherethrough the same is adapted to draw from the water on which the toy is floating, a water ejector pipe from said pump to above the deck terminating in a nozzle in imitation of a fire boat, a driving propeller in the rear of the hull, a shaft for the pump, and a second shaft for the propeller, a slidable clutch member on the inner end of each, the pump and the propeller, shafts adapted to cooperate with the respective clutch members on the motor shaft, and a pivoted operating lever for each slidable clutch member projecting above the deck.

6. In a toy fire boat, as set forth in claim 5, the intake for said pump being directed forwardly in front thereof through the bow of the boat,

whereby upon causing the sailing of the boat and the operation of the pump, said operation will be aided and strengthened.

GEORGE GREENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 818,778 Nixon Apr. 24, 1906 1,539,906 Kleinohle June 2, 1925 2,123,143 Morris et a1. July 5, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 117,691 Great Britain Aug. 1, 1918 

